By Allen Payton

During a public hearing on a new multi-family project off the extension of Wildhorse Road, Tuesday night, the Antioch City Council voted 4-0 to increase the density on 11.72 acres to allow for 126 units of market-rate rental housing. The project could later be converted to condominiums for sale.

Mayor Lamar Thorpe had to recuse himself due to the proximity to his home, that could impact its value.

The complex will be the first market-rate, multi-family housing project since the Cross Pointe Apartments were built on Lone Tree Way between Vista Grande Drive and Heidorn Ranch Road.

One member of the public spoke, complaining that the City doesn’t have enough affordable housing.

“We do not require our developers to pay in-lieu fees, so we can provide affordable housing,” Andrew Becker said. “We keep hearing ‘it’s too late’. But we still have huge projects like this, multi-million-dollar projects come in.”

The project proponent then had 10 minutes to speak but only spoke briefly.

“My family has owned the properties since the late ‘80’s,” Phillip Su said. “This is part of the Nelson Ranch project that was approved.”

There was no opponent to speak against the project. But another member of the public spoke, agreeing with the first speaker.

“How many units are going to be for low-income families to purchase a home? How many units will be rental? I have to agree with the very first person that this has gotten out of hand that we’re allowing developers to build multi-million-dollar homes,” she said. “I’m just concerned that we’re trying to have Antioch be a family city, up and coming. But we have developers coming in here trying to make money and not concerned about the impact. This could draw the criminal activity. The ones who can afford the high rents, here…those are the criminal elements. You know, we have an unhoused problem here, in this county. We have families who are renting and working legitimate jobs and want to buy a home. What we’re looking for is the dollars and cents. What positive impacts is it going to have on the lower income, the working class. What kind of impact will it have on us?”

Ogorchock asked about a CFD (Community Facilities District) for fire.

“It is my desire to have a CFD,” she said.

“The project is conditioned to meet all fire requirements,” said Senior Planner Zoe Meredith.

“Also, I saw that there’s a park in there and I have concerns that it’s not an all-abilities park,” Ogorchock said.

“Even though it will be a private park it will be built to city standards,” Community Development Director Forrest Ebbs responded.

Ogorchock also asked for speed humps to prevent sideshows and added them, and the all-abilities park to her motion for approval.

“How did we come to the decision of condos, instead of townhomes?” District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson asked.

“They don’t have a map for condos. It’s being proposed as a multi-family rental project,” Ebbs responded.

But they can come back and place a condo map on the project in the future and convert the rentals to

“This is a challenging site. This density is comparable to other projects in Antioch. We don’t see much more dense than this,” Ebbs said.

Torres-Walker stands for Pledge of Allegiance; mayor welcomes Con Johnson as interim city manager, finally refers to him as “retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant”

By Allen Payton

During a public hearing at the beginning of Tuesday night’s meeting, the Antioch City Council reviewed new maps submitted by members of the public, as well as the eight maps previously reviewed, including three drawn by the consultant and five submitted by members of the public. In a surprise to some residents watching, District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker stood for the Pledge of Allegiance, for the first time since the council returned to holding in-person meetings.

“Since the last meeting we have had four new submissions,” said Karin Mac Donald, owner and Senior Researcher of Q2 Data and Research. “Two of the public submissions don’t meet the Fair Maps Act” due to “contiguity”. She was referring to Maps 39 and 49 reviewed by the council at a previous meeting.

See all maps on the City’s Redistricting webpage under Draft Maps and Public Map Submissions.

“You have one more mapping meeting on Jan. 25th,” she added. “It would be good to whittle down the number of maps” for consideration.

A fourth new map, #503, was submitted last night. (See related article)

During public comments, resident Harry Thurston, one of only two residents to speak, again advocated for Map B, as he had at a previous meeting.

Resident Sharon Johnson asked, “what is the reason for redistricting when you just did it two years ago? My neighbors and I are wondering.”

“If you’re going to do it…” she continued, then said she also supported Map B “because it keeps current neighborhoods together.”

“This process is required every 10 years. What we did last time was not redistricting but districting due to a lawsuit…based on the Census,” Mayor Lamar Thorpe explained

The current districts are based on the 2010 Census. The new districts will be based on the 2020 Census which includes a population increase of 15,000 residents.

During that process in which the council adopted the current districts in May 2018, Thorpe asked Consultant Mac Donald about the current process. “Will we see drastic changes in where the lines will be?”

She responded by saying, “I think that depends on what you wanted to do. There is no law…that says you must start with the districts drawn in the last process.”

Thorpe then stated, “So, we can start with a completely new…or go with what we have and try to adjust the lines accordingly.” (See related articles here and here)

Council Reviews New Maps Submitted by the Public

“I would like to see the new maps that were submitted,” said District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock.

Jane Hood of Q2 then reviewed the four new submitted maps 91, 95, 99 and 503.

She pointed out that the new map, #503 was incomplete, as it is does not include a small portion on the west side of District 2. “It should be included with District 2,” Hood stated.

Ogorchock asked to see Map 91, again, which Hood put up on the screen.

About Map 95 Hood then said, “You’ll see this changes things, a bit.”

She then presented Map 99 and provided the population deviation percentages and described the boundaries.

“The last submission we have was received last night, which is #503,” Hood said, then reviewed the district boundaries and population percentages.

“This process continues until February so there’s time to submit maps,” Thorpe said.

“Do you want me to include all those maps in the staff report?” asked City Attorney Thomas L. Smith.

“Yes, please,” Thorpe replied. He then asked to review the City’s current districts map and the last two maps that the council considered in 2018.

“This map was created through public engagement and by the elected officials,” he said about a map that the council did not approve, known as Quadrants C. As reported previously, that map used major thoroughfares on the south side of Highway 4 as the dividing lines, such as Putnam Drive, Lone Tree Way and Deer Valley Road, as well as the Delta DeAnza Trail on the west side of the city.

Thorpe then spoke about the current districts map.

“This map wasn’t created by any public officials or by any member of the public,” he said. “This map was created by the consultant. No lines were changed…it was literally the exact map created by the consultant. I point this out because there’s been some implications that lines were moved to accommodate one individual council member. That’s a bold-faced lie.”

“That map passed on a 3-2 vote,” Thorpe continued. “There was some interest particularly by Latino residents up north that they haven’t had representation. This process was fair…of the highest regard. This map is fair.”

However, the consultant drew the map after extensive input from both members of the public and city council during several meetings and special workshops, during the 2018 process. Also, at that time, Thorpe said he supported having two council members represent the north side of the freeway stating, “North Antioch deserves two council people.” But in an Op-Ed by him published the day before, he advocated for one district north of the freeway. Plus, Thorpe was one of the three council members, along with Wilson and then-Councilman Tony Tiscareno to approve the current map with just one council member representing that area of the city.

In addition, during the 2018 process for creating the current map, then-Mayor Sean Wright said, “When you gerrymander you draw crazy lines to make sure you have the people in your district. When drawing the lines, I went down the major thoroughfares. I didn’t look at which family is where. I’m in favor of Quadrants C going forward and Working Draft 1.” (See related article)

 

Barbanica then asked to see Map 58 and for the Q2 staff to “go over the boundaries?”

Hood then described the district boundaries and population deviation percentages from average.

“It’s just an easy map to follow,” Barbanica said.

Thorpe Introduces Interim City Manager Johnson as Retired Police Lieutenant

The mayor then closed the public hearing and began the introductions of new city staff members.

“It is my duty to introduce our new city manager. Con Johnson is here, today. He took the helm, officially by himself, last week,” Thorpe said. “He’s a retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant. Con, we welcome you.”

“I would just like to thank the mayor and entire council members for this opportunity to work for this wonderful city,” Johnson said.

Not the kind the cops are known to enjoy! Suspect tried to flee scene; see video

By Antioch Police Department

While Police Officers have an affinity for donuts, I think we can all admit that not all donuts are created equal. On this occasion, Antioch Officers were dispatched to the Marina due to reports of a white Camaro doing donuts and then crashing into a light pole. If that wasn’t bad enough, the subject then attempted to flee the scene (see our post regarding leaving the scene of a collision).

As a result, the 25-year-old subject was arrested for reckless driving and a 30-day hold was placed on his vehicle (Though he wouldn’t have been able to drive away anyways). (See video)

While we are on the topic of reckless driving, sideshows continue to be a huge issue in the greater Bay Area and law enforcement remains committed to using the full extent of the law to stop people involved in such activity. In addition to having your vehicle towed, any driver participating in a sideshow can have their driver’s license suspended up to six months and be subject to arrest.

Sideshows are extremely dangerous and affect every driver on the road. We all share the road together and have an obligation to each other to drive responsibly.

Make better donut selections please, perhaps something with sprinkles. -6136 #drivesafe #donuts #antiochca

Entitled “Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime” (A3) – The service will be accessed through 911 and the Miles Hall Community Crisis Hub

WHEN: 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 12, 2022

WHERE: The A3 Community Crisis Initiative Event will be held via Zoom. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate using this link. The event will also be broadcast on Contra Costa TV.

Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), civic leaders and community advocates will deliver an online community update about Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime (A3), a new system for delivering safe, appropriate care to county residents who are experiencing behavioral health emergencies.

A3, developed in partnership with local government, first responders, mental health advocates, patients and families, will be implemented with funds from Contra Costa County’s Measure X sales tax. The program is intended to connect people in crisis with the care they need in the moment, and reduce intervention by local law enforcement where clinical expertise is more appropriate.

“Our community recognized an unmet health need and has come together in an unprecedented way,” Contra Costa Health Director Anna Roth said. “When fully implemented, A3 will ensure that everyone in our community can receive culturally and clinically appropriate crisis services whenever help is requested because of a behavioral health emergency.”

A3, currently a pilot program, will expand into a 24-hour service over the next 18 months that sends crisis response teams including behavioral health professionals directly to behavioral health emergency calls, in coordination with other first responders.

The service will be accessed through 911 and the Miles Hall Community Crisis Hub, a call center staffed by clinicians from CCHS who can triage calls, determine appropriate responses and dispatch crisis response teams. It is the central component of the model. Miles Hall was a local youth who was tragically killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis in 2019 during a law enforcement encounter.

CCHS is now developing and hiring staff for the program, supported by a one-time allocation of $5 million in Measure X funds for infrastructure, and $20 million in ongoing funds to support operation of the program, including staffing. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier also submitted two requests for Community Project Funding for behavioral health in Contra Costa County. If approved, more than $2 million in federal funding would be used to expand these services.

Information about A3 can be found at https://cchealth.org/bhs/crisis-response/. This website will be updated throughout 2022.

People experiencing a behavioral health crisis or anyone who needs to obtain help for others can currently access services by calling 911, 211, or our mobile crisis response at 1-833-433-2672.

 

Four sent to help at Prewett Family Park site in unusual deployment of state’s military personnel

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that he had activated the California National Guard to support local communities with additional testing facilities and capacity amid the national surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant. The California National Guard is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force. The CA National Guard has three components: the CA Army National Guard, CA Air National Guard, and CA State Guard.

According to their website, the California National Guard is “a community-based land force maintained at the optimum level of preparedness and readiness for service to the state and nation” that “organizes, trains, equips, and resources community-based land forces. On order, mobilizes to support state and/or federal authority.”

Under the control of the governor, National Guard functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law.

“California has led the country’s fight against COVID-19, implementing first-in-the-nation public health measures that have helped save tens of thousands of lives,” said Governor Newsom. “We continue to support communities in their response to COVID by bolstering testing capacity.”

The announcement comes as Omicron continues to spread rapidly across the globe, accounting for at least 80% of COVID-19 cases in California. The National Guard plan deployed over 200 Cal Guard members across 50 Optum Serve sites around the state, providing interim clinical staff while permanent staff are hired, adding capacity for walk-ins, assisting with crowd control and back-filling for staff absences – all in an effort to conduct more tests for more Californians. Additional members of the Guard are being deployed this week in similar capacities.

As part of the highly unusual deployment of the National Guard, four personnel were in Antioch at Prewett Family Park’s Community Center parking lot on Saturday. They made sure everyone was signed up for a test. In an ABC7 News report, Mayor Lamar Thorpe said, “We’re excited to have the National Guard show up and provide us support. In eastern Contra Costa County, we have some of the highest rates of COVID infection. I’m excited we’re working collaboratively to solve this pandemic.”

Click here for vido of California National Guard personnel assisting the Antioch Community Center testing site on Saturday, which doubled the number of testing windows and the number of appointments available per day.

This new action is on top of the existing 6,000 testing sites that have been set up across the state, the recent demand-based expansion of hours at state-operated sites and the 9.6 million tests that the state has distributed to schools since early December.

According to the governor’s office, these measures will bolster California’s already robust testing program – the most extensive in the nation. Currently, 90% of Californians live within a 30-minute drive of a site. Amidst the surge, the state has been able to maintain a 48-hour turn around for PCR tests.

To date, California has administered almost 67 million vaccination doses and over 122.7 million tests. In recent months, Governor Newsom implemented a series of measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, including first-in-the-nation vaccine and masking measures requiring that workers in health care settings be fully vaccinated, announcing plans to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required to attend school in-person when fully approved, requiring masking in schools and implementing a standard that all school staff and all state workers either show proof of full vaccination or be tested. To help slow the spread of COVID-19, Californians are encouraged to get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask indoors and get tested if sick.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 

Photo Cutline – California National Guard personnel arrive at Antioch Community Center testing site on Saturday. Source: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

 

Video screenshot

Torres-Walker’s idea may now be allowed in the city; would also allow retail sales at the events by licensed Antioch cannabis businesses

By Allen Payton

A passing comment by Antioch District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker during a recent council meeting to use the proposed Rivertown Center at the former Antioch Lumber Company site in downtown for a pot smoking event, has turned into an actual proposed change to the City’s municipal code to allow them.

During their meeting Tuesday night, Jan. 11, 2022, according to the staff report on agenda item 10, the Antioch City Council will “discuss amending the Antioch Municipal Code to add Section 9-5.3848 regarding temporary cannabis events on public property and provide direction to staff”. It would allow events like the one held in San Francisco every year on April 20th. 420 is another term for marijuana.

It “may generate increased revenue by allowing limited temporary cannabis events linked with retail sales by Antioch licensed cannabis businesses,” the staff report explains.

“One possible location for a temporary cannabis event is the Contra Costa County Fair (the “County Fair”), which is a District Agricultural Association site that holds fairs, expositions, and exhibitions to highlight various industries, enterprises, resources, and products of the state. The City could also approve other locations for an event to be held,” the staff report continues.

“The state Department of Cannabis Control (“Department”) has the discretion to authorize a temporary cannabis event. Only the holder of a temporary cannabis event license issued by the Department may hold a temporary cannabis event, which is subject to additional restrictions as a Type 14 cannabis license holder. Restrictions on a temporary cannabis event include limited duration and hours, Department approval of security, prohibition on sales of tobacco or alcohol at the event, restrictions on storage and marking of cannabis, track-and-trace regulations, and exclusion of minors.

Although the City may not have land use control over the County Fair, the Department of Cannabis Control requires approval by the applicable city or county for an event to be held on that type of public property.”

Attend or View Council Meeting

The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in-person in the Council Chambers at 200 H Street and are televised live on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, or live stream at www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings.

Public Comments

Members of the public wishing to provide public comment may do so one of the following ways (#2 pertains to the Zoom Webinar):

1. Fill out an online speaker card by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting located at: https://www.antiochca.gov/speaker_card.
2. Provide oral public comments during the meeting by clicking the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://www.antiochca.gov/speakers

– You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the meeting.

– When the mayor announces public comments, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/raise_hand. When calling into the meeting using the Zoom Webinar telephone number, press *9 on your telephone keypad to “raise your hand”. Please ensure your Zoom client is updated so staff can enable your microphone when it is your turn to speak.

1. Email comments to cityclerk@ci.antioch.ca.us by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting. The comment will be read into the record at the meeting (350 words maximum, up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the mayor). IMPORTANT: Identify the agenda item in the subject line of your email if the comment is for Announcement of Community Events, Public Comment, or a specific agenda item number. No one may speak more than once on an agenda item or during “Public Comments”.

All emails received by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting will be entered into the record or the meeting. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.

 

Guadalupe Zavala, a 57-year-old resident of Antioch

By Strategic Communications Officer Darryl Saffold, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

This is an update to a previous December 10, 2021 press release.

On Dec. 10, 2021, at approximately 1:11 PM, Antioch Police Department Dispatch began receiving numerous 911 calls of multiple gunshots being fired in the area of Dove Court. Several callers reported a neighbor on Dove Court was repeatedly shooting at homes and cars as he was walking down the street in the neighborhood.

All available officers responded to the area. Officers arriving at the scene reported hearing gunshots and confirmed one male suspect was armed with a rifle. The male suspect was wearing military-style, camouflage-patterned clothing, and it was later learned he was also wearing body armor. During the police response, the suspect entered a house on Dove Court, which was later determined to be where the suspect lived.

Because the suspect was unarmed at the time he was shot and killed the countywide Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident (LEIFI) protocol was initiated. Antioch Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigators and Detectives with the Investigations Bureau, along with a team of Deputy District Attorneys and Inspectors from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

During the investigation of this incident, the decedent was identified as Guadalupe Zavala, a 57-year-old resident of Antioch.

In accordance with law established by the California Public Records Act, the officers directly involved in December’s Officer Involved Shooting were:

– Sergeant Theodore Chang – 20 years of service

– Detective Ryan McDonald – 13.5 years of service

– Officer Scott Duggar – 7 years of service

– Officer Eric Rombough – 9.5 years of service

Currently, the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice California Police Shooting Investigation Team (CaPSIT) is investigating this Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident. This remains an open and ongoing investigation.

By Allen Payton

Three maps drawn and submitted by the public for the Antioch City Council’s redistricting process in December, since their last meeting on the 14th, are not included with the public hearing agenda item for Tuesday night’s meeting. Copies of two of the maps and statistics obtained by the Herald were sent Friday afternoon, to all five council members, city staff and staff of Q2 Data and Research, the consultant hired to assist in the process.

In addition, they were asked if they had received the maps, if there were any other maps submitted since the last council meeting on Dec. 14. They were also asked, if there were additional maps submitted, why they aren’t included for tomorrow night’s discussion, why they aren’t on the City’s redistricting webpage, and what is the process for a map created by a member of the public to be included in the council’s public hearings and on posted on the webpage.

It’s not clear when the maps were submitted by the public. Because the map labeled #58, was created and submitted by this reporter in November, but it’s dated Dec. 13 and map #87 is dated Dec. 17 but it w.as one of the five publicly submitted maps included in the discussion during the public hearing on Dec 14. (See Draft Maps)

This is the second time maps submitted by the public – long before the council agenda was issued – were not included in the meeting agenda packet. The five maps submitted by the public before the Dec. 14 meeting weren’t included for the public hearing that night. However, by that afternoon, Q2 staff had included the publicly submitted maps on the City’s redistricting webpage and Mayor Lamar Thorpe included them in the discussion during the public hearing, that night. (See related articles here and here)

Attempts on Monday to reach Jane Hood of Q2 asking her the same questions sent on Friday, were unsuccessful prior to publication time. 4:40 P.M. UPDATE: “All maps are posted on the website – the new ones are 91, 95 and 99,” Hood shared. However, they’re located under Public Map Submissions.

User Comments on Three New Publicly Submitted Maps

For Map 91 the online mapping tool’s user didn’t offer any comments. It is just slightly different than map 87. For Map 95, the one on the left at the top of this article, the User Comments are: “It results in three council members representing the waterfront instead of just one. It also serves to more unify the city between older parts and newer parts instead of dividing it like the current districts do with just one district north of Highway 4. It also combines the Mira Vista Hills area south of James Donlon Blvd. with the older areas north of James Donlon Blvd. and the newer area west of Somersville Road which is more of a Community of Interest.” For Map 99, the User Comments are: “This map gives each council member a portion of both sides of Highway 4
and a share of the waterfront using major city streets as boundary lines.”

Ogorchock Responds to Questions

District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock was the only council member to respond to the Herald’s questions. She wrote, “I’ve not seen these maps until now. I’m not sure as to why there not part of the presentation. Good question. I can tell you I’m not for either one of them. Thank you for sharing.”

Attend or View Council Meeting

The redistricting public hearing is item 1 on Tuesday night’s council meeting agenda, which begins at 7:05 p.m.

The meeting will be held in-person in the Council Chambers at 200 H Street and are televised live on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, or live stream at www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings.

Public Comments

Members of the public wishing to provide public comment may do so one of the following ways (#2 pertains to the Zoom Webinar):

1. Fill out an online speaker card by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting located at:  https://www.antiochca.gov/speaker_card.
2. Provide oral public comments during the meeting by clicking the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://www.antiochca.gov/speakers

– You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the meeting.

– When the mayor announces public comments, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/raise_hand. When calling into the meeting using the Zoom Webinar telephone number, press *9 on your telephone keypad to “raise your hand”. Please ensure your Zoom client is updated so staff can enable your microphone when it is your turn to speak.

1. Email comments to cityclerk@ci.antioch.ca.us by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting. The comment will be read into the record at the meeting (350 words maximum, up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the mayor). IMPORTANT: Identify the agenda item in the subject line of your email if the comment is for Announcement of Community Events, Public Comment, or a specific agenda item number. No one may speak more than once on an agenda item or during “Public Comments”.

All emails received by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting will be entered into the record or the meeting. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.